How is it possible Ronaldo is worth $163m?

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

How is it possible Ronaldo is worth $163m?

MICHELANGELO RUCCI, CHIEF SPORTS WRITER
June 12, 2009 08:30pm
OBVIOUSLY, the global financial crisis does not stretch to Spain.

Real Madrid Football Club, which carries $881 million in debt, does not have an account with the credit-squeezed Santander, Europe's most exposed bank.

Now the only question to be resolved is if Real's amazing line of credit has left enough in the club's books to lift Cristiano Ronaldo up the rankings of the world's best-paid sportsmen.

What would you do with $163 million?

Real, after spending $115 million on Brazilian Kaka from Italian giant AC Milan, on Thursday splashed out a record $163 million to claim World Player of the Year Ronaldo from Manchester United.

Ronaldo, 24, ranked No. 18 in U.S. magazine Sports Illustrated's rankings in earnings in world sport last year.

In soccer, he was the fourth-highest earner - behind David Beckham, Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi, all in the world's top 10 sports earners.

Ronaldo's earnings equated to $712,337 a week. That should change as his management negotiates terms with Real.

What does the Portuguese golden boy, Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, do with with nearly $1 million a week - beyond partying with Paris Hilton in Hollywood to celebrate his long-held ambition of joining Real?

He will not worry about where to put the washing machine - as his parents did as their four children filled the family bungalow on the island of Madeira. It had to go on the roof.

Ronaldo's "problems" are more about flash cars, diamond-set rings and maintaining a hair stylist with as much flair as his football.

Then there is his shameless narcissism, which seems to have Ronaldo put himself above his team-mates. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says Ronaldo is easily distracted by the off-field trappings.

"I think there have been periods when you've seen the effect (on the pitch)," he said.

Not surprisingly, Real Madrid's biggest rival, Barcelona, is questioning where Real's owner Florentino Perez is finding the $278 million to afford both Kaka and Ronaldo.

Barca's economic director, Xavier Sala i Martin, said on Spanish radio yesterday: "For that price we could buy the whole team that won the Champions League (against Manchester United in Rome). He (Perez) says he will recoup it by selling replica shirts - he will have to sell 30 million of them."

[totsreds08]

he isn't worth that much, madrid are just ridiculous

[Le King]

he isn't worth that much, madrid are just ridiculous

if ronaldo is worth 80 million pounds, then messi is easily worth atleast 100 million pounds
3 yrs younga and way betta

[ForzaChievo]

Maradona would be worth 300 million pounds, if he was playing these days.

[ozzie owl]

How is it possible Ronaldo is worth $163m?

MICHELANGELO RUCCI, CHIEF SPORTS WRITER
June 12, 2009 08:30pm
OBVIOUSLY, the global financial crisis does not stretch to Spain.

Real Madrid Football Club, which carries $881 million in debt, does not have an account with the credit-squeezed Santander, Europe's most exposed bank.

Now the only question to be resolved is if Real's amazing line of credit has left enough in the club's books to lift Cristiano Ronaldo up the rankings of the world's best-paid sportsmen.

What would you do with $163 million?

Gee if they 880m in the red that works out at about 50m a year just in interest payments now it will over a 1billion taking it 60m per annum. However once the econmies turn around and rates return to normal you could see that rise to 80m year. Where will this all end?

Real, after spending $115 million on Brazilian Kaka from Italian giant AC Milan, on Thursday splashed out a record $163 million to claim World Player of the Year Ronaldo from Manchester United.

Ronaldo, 24, ranked No. 18 in U.S. magazine Sports Illustrated's rankings in earnings in world sport last year.

In soccer, he was the fourth-highest earner - behind David Beckham, Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi, all in the world's top 10 sports earners.

Ronaldo's earnings equated to $712,337 a week. That should change as his management negotiates terms with Real.

What does the Portuguese golden boy, Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, do with with nearly $1 million a week - beyond partying with Paris Hilton in Hollywood to celebrate his long-held ambition of joining Real?

He will not worry about where to put the washing machine - as his parents did as their four children filled the family bungalow on the island of Madeira. It had to go on the roof.

Ronaldo's "problems" are more about flash cars, diamond-set rings and maintaining a hair stylist with as much flair as his football.

Then there is his shameless narcissism, which seems to have Ronaldo put himself above his team-mates. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says Ronaldo is easily distracted by the off-field trappings.

"I think there have been periods when you've seen the effect (on the pitch)," he said.

Not surprisingly, Real Madrid's biggest rival, Barcelona, is questioning where Real's owner Florentino Perez is finding the $278 million to afford both Kaka and Ronaldo.

Barca's economic director, Xavier Sala i Martin, said on Spanish radio yesterday: "For that price we could buy the whole team that won the Champions League (against Manchester United in Rome). He (Perez) says he will recoup it by selling replica shirts - he will have to sell 30 million of them."

[Translator]

Maradona would be worth 300 million pounds, if he was playing these days.

I was thinking what would Eusebio be worth?!?!

[Killa Pass]

Maradona would be worth 300 million pounds, if he was playing these days.

Thats alot of powder!!!

[joker]

if he didnt play football now he would be just another Britney Spears and everyone would be against him
lol 1mil a week?? A-League cant make profit of 1mil muahaha

[Madridista612]

Di Stefano would be worth 350 million

[ozzie owl]

Interesting that players move for such huge sums in Spain, a country that has been hammered by the Global Financial Crisis.

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

Interesting that players move for such huge sums in Spain, a country that has been hammered by the Global Financial Crisis.

he's prob the richest in spain now,

[delfino_1936]

Di Stefano would be worth 350 million

do you actually think that Di Stefano was better than Maradona???

if so, massive massive BIAS

[Madridista612]

Di Stefano would be worth 350 million

do you actually think that Di Stefano was better than Maradona???

if so, massive massive BIAS

Over the length of his career he was better than Maradona. I can't remember seeing or reading about a bad game by Di Stefano, I also remember him being described as "Not the best in the world but certainly the most complete ever". Also Maradona was a complete waste of space at Barcelona to the point that the Barca fans used to chant "Maradona es un cagona" (Maradona is a sh.it) or literal translation (Maradona is someone who sh.its himself). Skill wise Maradona was better but Di Stefano was a 1 man team, he was like Torres, Kaka, Ribery, Lass, Puyol all rolled into 1 and I should think that would command quite a price.

[Ernie Cooksey]

Alan Groves would be worth half a billion.

[Bomber]

Di Stefano was a magician and years ahead of his time.

[Le King]

with all that money, does that mean that ppl only go 2 madrid cause of the money rather then the club????

maradona
best
(gap)
pele


(massive gap)



then the rest

[Madridista612]

with all that money, does that mean that ppl only go 2 madrid cause of the money rather then the club????

maradona
best
(gap)
pele


(massive gap)



then the rest

Some would, others wouldn't, although at those lofty heights, if you're good enough to play at Madrid then you're good enough to play almost anywhere else and anywhere else you play is likely to give you comparable salaries, also it's easier for players to stay where they are for an extra few thousand a week. So it's hard to say that players move just for the money, sure that may be a factor but I find it hard to believe that any player would move to any club for JUST the money....except Robinho.

[paul merson]

with all that money, does that mean that ppl only go 2 madrid cause of the money rather then the club????

maradona
best
(gap)
pele


(massive gap)



then the rest

Some would, others wouldn't, although at those lofty heights, if you're good enough to play at Madrid then you're good enough to play almost anywhere else and anywhere else you play is likely to give you comparable salaries, also it's easier for players to stay where they are for an extra few thousand a week. So it's hard to say that players move just for the money, sure that may be a factor but I find it hard to believe that any player would move to any club for JUST the money....except Robinho.

And Gareth Barry.

[pires7]

Di Stefano would be worth 350 million

do you actually think that Di Stefano was better than Maradona???

if so, massive massive BIAS

looking at his career stats it's hard to argue that the gap is massive between the two. You could build a great side around either.

[Madridista612]

with all that money, does that mean that ppl only go 2 madrid cause of the money rather then the club????

maradona
best
(gap)
pele


(massive gap)



then the rest

Some would, others wouldn't, although at those lofty heights, if you're good enough to play at Madrid then you're good enough to play almost anywhere else and anywhere else you play is likely to give you comparable salaries, also it's easier for players to stay where they are for an extra few thousand a week. So it's hard to say that players move just for the money, sure that may be a factor but I find it hard to believe that any player would move to any club for JUST the money....except Robinho.

And Gareth Barry.

[El Pibe D'Oro]

Di Stefano would be worth 350 million

do you actually think that Di Stefano was better than Maradona???

if so, massive massive BIAS

Over the length of his career he was better than Maradona. I can't remember seeing or reading about a bad game by Di Stefano, I also remember him being described as "Not the best in the world but certainly the most complete ever". Also Maradona was a complete waste of space at Barcelona to the point that the Barca fans used to chant "Maradona es un cagona" (Maradona is a sh.it) or literal translation (Maradona is someone who sh.its himself). Skill wise Maradona was better but Di Stefano was a 1 man team, he was like Torres, Kaka, Ribery, Lass, Puyol all rolled into 1 and I should think that would command quite a price.

Now we know you are taking the p*ss.

Nobody was better than Maradona.

You talk about a one man team - were you alive during Mexico 86

[E. Grant & Co]

with all that money, does that mean that ppl only go 2 madrid cause of the money rather then the club????

maradona
best
(gap)
pele


(massive gap)



then the rest

You're dreaming MU.

very hard to classify the different players from different eras but in my mind it would be something like this

Pele = Best = Di Stefano

>>>>>>

Maradona
>>>>> Messi = Zidane [there is a belief by some that young Messi will join the other greats at the top long before he decides to stop playing]

Ronaldo

then mere mortals

[The one and only]

with all that money, does that mean that ppl only go 2 madrid cause of the money rather then the club????

maradona
best
(gap)
pele


(massive gap)



then the rest

You're dreaming MU.

very hard to classify the different players from different eras but in my mind it would be something like this

Pele = Best = Di Stefano

>>>>>>

Maradona
>>>>> Messi = Zidane [there is a belief by some that young Messi will join the other greats at the top long before he decides to stop playing]

Ronaldo

then mere mortals

IMO pele was the best

and just to add to the argument when asked it was maradonna that said i dont know if i was better then pele but di stefano was

if the real ronaldo didnt have as many injuries as he did he would probably be considered better then all of them

[delfino_1936]

Now we know you are taking the p*ss.

Nobody was better than Maradona.

You talk about a one man team - were you alive during Mexico 86

Napoli's scudetto winning teams...don't think they would've won them if it wasn't for Maradona

[Madridista612]

Now we know you are taking the p*ss.

Nobody was better than Maradona.

You talk about a one man team - were you alive during Mexico 86

Napoli's scudetto winning teams...don't think they would've won them if it wasn't for Maradona

Fair, but maybe River Plate and Millonarios wouldn't have won their titles either.

[barbarez01]

IMO Zidane best player to ever play the world game.

[Madridista612]

IMO Zidane best player to ever play the world game.

Quality wise maybe, but Zidane was never as complete as someone like Gerrard let alone Di Stefano. It depends on your definition of best.

[Translator]

Quality wise maybe, but Zidane was never as complete as someone like Gerrard let alone Di Stefano. It depends on your definition of best.

and how many games have you seen Di Stefano play. Full 90 minute footage?

[diegom]

Di Stefano would be worth 350 million

do you actually think that Di Stefano was better than Maradona???

if so, massive massive BIAS

if u HONESTLY think di stefano is worth more than the GREATESR MARADONA, U are obviously in denial!
Di Stefano would not even be considered in the same sentence as MARADONA.


I cant believe I am actually replying to this ridiculous comment, but what else do u expect from a madrid fan if not faecitious spilling out of their mouths!

[diegom]

with all that money, does that mean that ppl only go 2 madrid cause of the money rather then the club????

maradona
best
(gap)
pele


(massive gap)



then the rest

Some would, others wouldn't, although at those lofty heights, if you're good enough to play at Madrid then you're good enough to play almost anywhere else and anywhere else you play is likely to give you comparable salaries, also it's easier for players to stay where they are for an extra few thousand a week. So it's hard to say that players move just for the money, sure that may be a factor but I find it hard to believe that any player would move to any club for JUST the money....except Robinho.

hmmmm, yeah cos Di Stefano won FIFA player of the century, didnt he!